Penuel questions need for filing genocide case against Israel

Author and Public Speaker Penuel Lungelo Mlotshwa says he is finding it hard to celebrate South Africa’s efforts in the court case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which commenced on Thursday.

“We have a thug president and a mafia ANC looting the nation. We have a wealthy white minority that still refuses to share. The land hasn’t been restored. But we must applaud legal parading? I must be missing something… I’m sorry,” he wrote on his X account.

South Africa’s legal team presented its case to the ICJ in The Hague, Netherlands, in a legal battle against Israel, which is accused of committing genocide in Gaza.

RELATED STORY: South Africa presents case against Israel at world court.

South Africa filed its case at the ICJ in December 2023, arguing that Israel violated the 1948 UN Genocide Convention. It filed an 84-page document with the court detailing acts it says amount to genocide in Gaza.

The UN Convention defines genocide as acts such as killings “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.

In light of that, Penuel questioned whether the world cares more about the Jews and Arabs than it does about South Africans.

“Those judges and lawyers can’t take a stand to jail Apartheid enforcers, corrupt politicians, fight for land to be restored to its owners, hold corrupt businesspeople like Markus Jooste to account, imprison [the likes of] Cyril Ramaphosa but we must believe they’ll stop serious carnage in Israel and Palestine?

“What exactly stops the exact same people, including [Dirco Minister] Naledi Pandor, for standing up against injustices here at home? I’m really struggling. Somebody school me please! What the f*ck are we actually celebrating?” Penuel stressed.

South Africa’s case is presented by a team of six legal counsels, including Dr Adila Hassim, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, Professor John Dugard, Blinne ni Ghrálaigh, Max du Plessis, and Professor Vaughan Lowe.

The country wants the ICJ to compel Israel to stop its military action in Gaza, which has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians and reduced the coastal territory to ruins.